GRi in Court Ghana 27 - 02 - 2001

We did not go to intimidate villagers - Police

We did not go to intimidate villagers - Police

Accra (Greater Accra) 27 Feb. 2001

The first prosecution witness in the Ablekuma Murder Trial on Monday told an Accra High Court that policemen sent on operation in the village did not go there to intimidate the inhabitants.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Samuel Kwame Appiah, Commanding Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) told the court that policemen who went on the operation under his command were there to look for the dead policemen and arrest the offenders.

ACP Appiah was being cross-examined by Mr Ayikoi Otoo, Counsel for three of the accused persons.

Nine persons are standing trial at the court for their involvement in the murder of two policemen in November 1998.

The are Joseph Telewu, alias Terminator, Seth Ababio Kissergbi, alias Rasta, Nii

Amo Dodoo, William Nii Muetteh Addo, and Newland Awayevu.

The rest are Okyeame Darko Dodoo, Wisdom Awayevu, alias Kwasi Luga, Daniel

Mills, alias Fussy and Yemo Odai, alias Joe Shanton.

They are alleged to have murdered Jerry Wornoo, alias Taller from the Police

Striking Force Unit and Richard Owusu Sekyere, alias Kweku Ninja from the Police

Academy and Training School.

The two policemen had gone to Ablekuma, a village 10 kilometres west of Accra, to erect pillars on a piece of land they had acquired when the incident occurred.

The accused persons who face two charges of conspiracy to commit crime and murder have all pleaded not guilty.

With the exception of Okyeame Dodoo who is on bail, all the rest have been remanded in prison custody. Mr Otoo is counsel for Dodoo, Awayevu and Mills.

ACP Appiah disagreed with a suggestion by counsel that his men set some houses on fire because their colleagues had been murdered.

Witness also disagreed with counsel that the police fired indiscriminately in the village with AK 47 rifles during the operation.

Counsel wanted to know from witness whether he was informed that the villagers had lodged a complaint at the Odorkor Police Station about the incident before he was put in charge of the operation.

"I did not know," was his answer.

In response to another suggestion by counsel that he did not see any of the accused persons, especially, Dodoo, Mills and Odai in the village, ACP Appiah said he was not there.

Mrs Beatrice Agyeman Bempah, the trial judge, adjourned proceedings to Monday, March 5.

GRi../

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